Read, Read, Read—That’s All You Need To Travel the World
Reading has always been one of my favorite activities. It has brought me a lot of enjoyment and consistency during these unsettled pandemic times. I’d like to share some fun I’ve had reading this year and highlight the wonderful resource that we have in our Jasper County Library.
Back in January I visited our library and picked up a 2020 calendar with the Library Challenge—a challenge I couldn’t resist! It includes 50 categories of books. This structure has inspired me pick up books I already own but have never read, explore new topics and genres, and discover services offered by our library.
Audiobooks make great companions if you’re driving or doing housework. For years I got audiobooks on CD from the library. I knew that I really needed to convert to a digital format because CD players are becoming increasingly harder to find.
COVID-19 pushed me to finally make the switch because currently the library is closed, and I can’t browse the shelves with audiobooks on CD. Fortunately, our library has a great alternative. If you have a library card, you can set up a free account with RBdigital. This gives you access to thousands of audiobooks and e-books.
A few RBdigital audiobooks I have listened to this year include a collection of short stories, Long After Midnight, by Ray Bradbury (one of my favorite authors) and the sci-fi classic I, Robot by Isaac Asimov.
One of the categories in the Library Challenge is “A Book with a Number in the Title.” History is a weak point for me, and so I decided to read 1066: The Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry by Andrew Bridgeford. On the surface, the Bayeux Tapestry appears simply to commemorate the Norman victory over the English at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. However, the premise of the book is that the tapestry has hidden English and non-Norman French viewpoints—quite intriguing.
Around the same time that I decided to read the book 1066, I realized that there’s a cool looking dirt road in Putnam County that I had never ridden, Forest Service Road 1066. So, I decided to play a fun game with myself. As soon as I finished the book, I did a dirt road ride on my bicycle that included Forest Service Road 1066. I greatly enjoyed both the book and the ride.
John Lewis is one of my heroes. I mourn the loss of this loving and inspiring human being. When he died recently, a friend told me about a trilogy of graphic novels that he wrote, entitled March. With these uniquely wonderful books, I completed the categories “A Graphic Novel” and “A Trilogy” in the Library Challenge.
I had never read a graphic novel before. A graphic novel isn’t racy; it’s like a short novel written in comic book style. This contrasts with actual comic books, which are written in a serial format. Graphic novels can be an excellent way to introduce young people to a subject.
In fact, one reason John Lewis decided to write his trilogy is that when he was a teenager, he drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. I highly recommend the March trilogy to learn about John Lewis and the Civil Rights movement as a whole.
Even if you’re not taking the Library Challenge, the library has so much to offer. Search the Jasper County Library website and place an order. Then, set a pickup time for library staff to bring your selection to you in the library parking lot.
Also, did you know that a library card gives you access to books from across the entire state of Georgia? If our Jasper County library doesn’t have a particular book, the staff can get an available copy from any other library in the Georgia PINES system.
Recently, I used this service to read The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge. I had been wanting to read this book for a while. Then, the perfect opportunity arose when the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton hosted a Zoom meeting with the author. The Potlikker Papers is a fascinating study of how Southern food has shaped culture, economics, and politics.
It’s such a pleasure to meander down the aisles of the library, looking at all the enticing titles. There’s something about being able to see and touch the books. Although we can’t do that right now, we are so fortunate to still have great access to books in our rural area. Read everything, read often, and read lots!
Reach the Jasper County Library at 706-468-6292.
